Argentinean's Precision Lands 10 Birdies

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Birmingham, Ala. – When Galileo first espoused the first rudimentary terms of inertia and Isaac Newton devised his Laws of Motion, neither did so with imagery of golf balls being struck. On Monday, Jorge Fernandez Valdes couldn’t have provided a better illustration of one of the fundamental principles of physics.   

Fernandez Valdes

The 15-year-old Argentinean and his 5-foot-8, 125-pound frame consistently walloped the ball 290-plus yards off the tee. That’s important because his distance and putting were the primary reasons why he cakewalked to a 7-under-par 65, which by the way, placed him three strokes ahead of the next competitor. That was before the afternoon wave teed off.

On a whim, Valdes decided to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur while finishing up at the Junior World Cup in Japan. Argentina, incidentally, finished eighth.

Fernandez Valdes and fellow Argentinean friend, Emiliano Grillo, also 15, decided to make the trip to New York because it benefited their travel plans with the qualifier being in New Jersey. They were prescient in their choice. They placed first and second, respectively, at Peddie School Club in Hightstown, N.J., on June 26.

So the Junior Amateur must be a big deal in Argentina, right?

“Yes, it is. Yes,” said Fernandez Valdes in his limited English.

It has gotten more attention because of players like 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera and longtime pro Eduardo Romero. They, along with the likes of Vicente Fernandez and Roberto De Vicenzo, put golf on the map in Argentina and gave the game a global face. Camilo Villegas has been the latest South American torch-bearer. Fernando Valdes didn’t admit to being inspired by them, besides Villegas, although he’s played a couple of rounds with Cabrera.

“I am in the same place, in the same [golf] club,” said Fernandez Valdes. “Yes, I know the family and I am good friends with his sons.”

Asked what Cabrera or Romero thought of his game, Fernandez Valdes laughed and said, “Nada.”

Fernandez Valdes arrived at Shoal Creek this past Saturday via Buenos Aires-Miami-Dallas and finally Birmingham. The flights took 13 hours. There was still enough time for him to get in 27 holes of golf with his caddie, Filiberto DeLeon.

Judging by his play in the first round, one might surmise that Valdes has a membership at Shoal Creek. He negotiated the hilly Jack Nicklaus design with aplomb. In all, he carded 10 birdies, narrowly missing eagles on both back-nine par 5s, Nos. 11 and 17, by leaving putts short. Maybe more amazing, he birdied seven of his final 10 holes.

“He was very aggressive, going at flags,” said DeLeon, 39, who has been a caddie at Shoal Creek the last year a half. “His driving? Ohhh……”

That about summed it up. In short, Valdes being long and straight off the tee was, to quote the late great Jim Murray, as automatic as tomorrow. Five of his final seven birdies were set up by noteworthy drives. The one off the 17th tee went 323 yards, ultimately leading to a 28-foot downhill eagle attempt.

“You just sort of get mesmerized,” said 17-year-old Andrew Graham (8-over 80), who was in his group. “He was making absolutely everything. He was hitting every green.”

Graham didn’t want to say that Valdes’ clinic demoralized him, but he did add that his stellar play crept into his mind.

“You’re sort of like, ‘Man, what am I going to need to shoot to stay close?’” he said.

On a tangential note, Monday’s 65 was Fernandez Valdes’ second-lowest round. Last year he shot eight under at a junior tournament in Ecuador.

He seemed nonplussed about the attention. Someone mentioned that he shouldn’t be surprised to see a few more unfamiliar faces Tuesday, namely college coaches, after zipping into the lead. Fernandez Valdes welcomes them because he’d like to attend college in the U.S. before turning pro.

And if it works, it will only constitute more inertia toward a career in the sport he first tried at 6.

Ken Klavon is the USGA’s Editor of New Media. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.